8431. In that Jehovah shall give you in the evening flesh to eat. That this signifies that in the end of the state good will be appropriated by means of delight, is evident from the signification of “evening,” as being the end of a state (see above, n. 8426); and from the signification of “flesh,” as being one’s own made alive, or one’s heavenly own which a man has from the Lord, thus the good of love (n. 148, 149, 780, 3813, 7850, 8409); but here the good of faith, because it was the flesh of a bird or flying thing called “quail.” For by a flying thing is signified what is spiritual, or what is of faith; consequently by its “flesh” is signified good of that quality, here the good of the natural man, or delight. Be it known that by “the manna” is signified the good of the internal or spiritual man, but by “the quail” the good of the external or natural man, which is called delight; and that such is their signification is evident from the fact that the manna was given in the morning time, but the quail in the evening time; and by that which is given in the morning time is signified spiritual good, and by that which is given in the evening time is signified natural good or delight. For in the other life the state of morning is when spiritual good, or the good of the internal man, is in clearness; and natural good, or the good of the external man, is in obscurity: but the state of evening is when natural good, or the good of the external man, is in clearness and spiritual good, or the good of the internal man, is in obscurity. These alternations thus succeed each other also to the intent that the man may be perfected, especially that good may be appropriated to him, which in the state of evening is effected by means of delight.

8426. In the evening, then ye shall know that Jehovah hath brought you out from the land of Egypt. That this signifies that in the end of the former state there shall be a revelation that they are liberated, is evident from the signification of “evening,” as being the end of the former state (of which below); from the signification of “knowing,” as being to be revealed, for that which Jehovah gives to know is called “revelation;” and from the signification of “bringing out,” as being to liberate (as frequently above), here from the infestations which are signified by “the land of Egypt” (n. 7278).

[2] That “in the evening” denotes the end of a former state, is because the changes of state in the other life are circumstanced as are the times of day in the world, namely, morning, noon, evening, and night, or twilight, and again morning. Be it known that in the spiritual world there are perpetual changes of states, and that all who are there pass through them. The reason is that they may be continually perfected, for without changes of states or without variations continually succeeding one another in order, they who are in the spiritual world are not perfected. The changes of states which succeed each other in order like the times of the day and the times of the year, never return quite the same, but are varied. The beginning of every state corresponds to morning on the earth, and also in the Word is sometimes meant by “morning;” but the end of every state corresponds to evening, and is likewise sometimes called “evening” in the Word. When it is morning they are in love; when it is noon, they are in light or in truth; but when it is evening they are in obscurity as to truths, and are in the delight of natural love. This delight is what is signified by the quail which they received in the evening, and the good is what is signified by the manna which they received every morning.

[3] From all this it is evident what “the evening” signifies, namely, the end of the state of the thing treated of, consequently also the end of the state of the church. But see what has previously been shown about the signification of “evening:” That in the other life there are alternations of states, as in the world there are alternations of times (n. 5672, 5962, 6110); that “evening” denotes the end of a former church, and “morning” the beginning of a new church (n. 2323, 7844); consequently that “the evening and the morning” denote the advent of the the Lord, (n. 7844); that in heaven there are evening and twilight before morning; but not night, which is in hell (n. 6110).